Bergdahl Gives GOP New Attack Line in Senate Fights

Thom Tillis greets supporters at an election night rally in Charlotte, N.C., after winning the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate on May 6.

Associated Press

By Beth Reinhard, Janet Hook and Natalie Andrews

President Barack Obama’s handling of the release of captured Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is emerging as an issue in the 2014 campaign as Republicans seek to frame the midterm election as a referendum on the unpopular administration.

The president is under fire from both Republicans and Democrats for swapping Sgt. Bergdahl — who possibly deserted his post in Afghanistan — for five accused terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay. Mr. Obama is also facing criticism for failing to give Congress 30-days notice of the plan, as the law requires.

In North Carolina, Republican challenger Thom Tillis condemned the deal and said Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan “has consistently failed to be a check and balance over the Obama administration.” In Arkansas, a spokesman for Republican candidate Tom Cotton, David Ray, said “it’s been crickets” from Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor on Sgt. Bergdahl’s release. North Carolina and Arkansas are top of the GOP targets as it tries to seize control of the U.S. Senate.

“There’s only one issue in every Senate race in the country, and that’s whether the Democratic incumbent is sufficiently independent from President Obama,” said Republican strategist Brad Todd, who is advising Messrs. Tillis and Cotton. “Obama’s administration has failed and it’s the job of every incumbent to hold him accountable.”

Matt Canter, deputy executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said of Mr. Bergdahl’s release: “Republican efforts to politicize it will fall short.” And in fact, the Democratic senators from North Carolina and Arkansas have raised questions about Mr. Bergdahl’s release.

“Obviously I think it’s great for the individual and his family that he is now released. I do have great concern that the 30-days notice did not come before Congress,” Ms. Hagan said in a television interview on Monday.

Mr. Pryor put out a written statement in response to requests from media outlets: ”The Administration’s lack of transparency is not only frustrating, it’s unacceptable. The American people deserve answers about the capture and release of Sergeant Bergdahl. Our top priority should always be keeping our nation safe.”

Ms. Hagan and Mr. Pryor are both under pressure to show independence from the administration because they represent conservative, southern states where he is deeply unpopular. The same is true for Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, who said of Mr. Bergdahl’s release: “I’m concerned about it. I’m still waiting to get a lot of information. I know it’s important to get our soldiers home, but how it was done and what conditions.”

Making “no apologies,” the president said every American soldier is worth saving and that alerting Congress would have endangered the negotiations for Mr. Bergdahl’s freedom.

In a sign of the rapidly changing politics surrounding Sgt. Bergdahl, half a dozen members of Congress from both parties touted the news of his release on Twitter, only to delete their posts hours or days later, according to deleted tweets compiled by the Sunlight Foundation.

The Twitter erasers included Republicans running in two of the most competitive races in the country: Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst. “Welcome home Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. A grateful America thanks you for your service,” Mr. Cochran said, and then didn’t three days later.

“Thoughts and prayers go out to Sgt. Bergdahl & his family,” said Ms. Ernst’s post, which was removed after 25 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the Ernst campaign, Gretchen Hamel, said a staffer put up the comment without Ms. Ernst knowing about it. “Campaign often react too quickly to events as they are happening and don’t stop to find out all the facts first,” she said.

Four days later, Ms. Ernst posted another remark on Twitter: “Those wondering my thoughts on Bergdahl- as I’ve said repeatedly-I’m relieved but have concerns.”

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